The 22-year-old Zackyric Gardner was arrested and charged with second-degree murder by the St. Martinville Police for the alleged shooting and murder of 24-year-oldDeion'Dre Benjamin at St. Martinville Senior High School's homecoming football game on October 25, 2024.
The suspect, Zackyric Gardner, who was allegedly fleeing, with two others, to Texas, was arrested by the police and transported back to St.Martin Parish. He is now booked in the parish jail with his bond set at $10 million.
He is also now a suspect in the shooting that happened at the victim's house a few months back, which led to Deiondre Benjamin being seriously injured, but back then, he survived the shooting. This has reportedly led to the belief that Gardner and Benjamin had an ongoing conflict.
The Murder of Deion'Dre Benjamin and the arrest of Zackyric Gardner
Last Friday, October 25, 2024, at 8 p.m., Zackyric Gardner allegedly shot and killed Deion'Dre Benjamin at a high school Football game at the tailgate area. It is alleged that the two met at the scene and got into an argument, which escalated to the shooting, culminating in the murder of Deion'Dre.
Reports suggest that Zackyric Gardner initially fled the scene on foot and later got into a vehicle with two others. The police sent an arrest warrant to agencies along the I-10 corridor.
The Acadiana Advocate also reports that the authorities used the getaway vehicle's license plate photo taken from security footage to locate the suspect. The two people he fled with are also suspects, but much information is not released as the investigation is still in progress.
According to reports, the police also suspect that Zackyric Gardner might be responsible for the shooting at Deion'Dre's home in May of this year. According to Deion'Dre's father, Wendell Benjamin, in that incident, his son almost died from multiple shots.
Wendell Benjamin's word on the shooting in May,
"I was hearing shots firing, not knowing that shots were fired in the back of my home after both of my sons. The one that is dead and gone today, he’s the one that really got shot up."
Wendell also expressed his determination to get his son Justice,
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"I’m not giving up nothing at all. I’m going all the way with this. I don’t care if I take this to my grave or whatever, I’m gonna get justice for my son."
The police have also released the suspect's photo and reminded the public that the person in the photo is innocent until proven guilty.
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